Commemorating Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Birthday

Today, January 05, is the "prakash divas" of my father, the great Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji Maharaaj.

The Sikh Community around the world celebrates this day when, 340 years ago, my father's divine light - the light of the Almighty God - was revealed to the world through a human body in the city of Patna. The blessed baby came into the family of beloved Sri Mata Gujjar (Gujari) Kaur Ji and Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji Maharaaj. The divine child was given the throne of the enlightener at only the age of nine years. In the short time that he spent in his human form, this divine soul changed our world forever. Among countless other amazing wonders, my father finalized the initiation of the Khalsa and bestowed the eternal throne to our beloved Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaaj. Now my father's divine light is forever absorbed in the Guru Khalsa Panth and Guru Granth.

I feel very honoured to have the Shaahe-Shahanshaah (King of Kings) Gur Gobind Singh as my father. At the same time, I feel extremely ashamed for not having lived up to even one of his teachings, or having enacted even one of the divine principals from his legacy to my own life.

My father's qualities and accomplishments can't be described even in a million pages. For our sake, my father surrendered his own father, mother, four sons, thousands of his Sikhs, all of his material possessions, and wealth. Even more, he gave his throne to the eternal Guru - Guru Granth and Guru Khalsa Panth; he gave the honour of his turban - to Bhai Sangat Singh Ji in the Battle of Chamkaur; and he even gave the protection of the shoes off his own feet - which he removed before walking into the Machhiwara Jungle, lest he step with his shoes on the hair of his beloved Shaheed Gursikhs in Chamkaur. Not only that, but before all of this he had already given his head - to the Punj Pyare when he requested them to give him khande-ke-pahul. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji Maharaaj put all strength, courage, love, and mercy into the present and future of the Khalsa, for the wellbeing and protection of all living beings.

Please try to visit the gurdwara today and congratulate another fellow human being on this day to celebrate and remember the great legacy of the 10th embodiment of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji, the great Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji Maharaaj, father of the Khalsa Panth.